Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1887-05-27
WISE COUNTY.

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Population in 1880 was-white. q,
GIL; colored, lOl; total, 7,772; but 9
part of this is to be credited to Dick
enson county, portion of which was
taken from Wise since the last cen
sus.
Wise county lies on the Kentucky
line, and is located amongst the lof
ty ranges of mountains which traverse
this Trans-Appalachian country.
The soil, in, some parts formed
from limestone rocks, is of good
quality and we'll adapted to grain
and grass. Other sections, formed
from disintegrated sandstone, have
poorer soils, but tile land produce
corn, vegetables and fruits and are
well suited to the grape. and to
pasturage. especially sheep.
The greater part of the area of Wise
county is still covered with original
forest, of valuable timber, such as oak
chestnut, walnut, poplar, cherry,
pine. &c. The cherry is notably abun-
dant and of large size, and poplar
trees of enormous sizc, some of them
six and eight feet in diameter, with
long, straight trunks seventy-five to
eighty feet to the limb.
The minerals of this county are
Iron ores, coal (bituminous, splint
and canneD IN great abundance and
easily mined. Lead and silver have
also been found, but not yet in pay
Ing quantity. Limestone and valu.
able sandstone for building are abun-
dant.
This county is watered by several
considerable streams flowing into
Russell's fork of Big Sandy river,
and by Powell's river and other
streams which flow south into Clincl.
river.
The great need of this section is
access to market for its very valuable
timber and minerals, which, it is
hoped. will soon be supplied by the
construction of the several railroads
projected through this country.
A correspondent says:
"Had Wise county no other than
her timber and mineral resources,
she would be one of the most attrac.
I've counties in our State to the
industrious and intelligent i'm.
migrant. At no distant day she is
destined to become the theatre of i'm
mense mining and manufacturing
operations,vhich will bring wealth to
Its thousands. All Wise lacks to
make her one of the wealthiest
counties in the State Is railroad
facilities, which she will very soon
have. There is now being built a
line of railroad from Bristol, Tenn,
to lmboden city, in this county, and
several other proposed lines have
been surved through the centre of the
county. A matter of time is the only
prerequisite to the development of
our natural resources and q public
conveyance forour mineral and timber
wealth.
"The free school system is we'll
established in this county-every
neighborhood has the advantage of
from five to seven months school
each yerar. We also have one college,
situated at Wise courthouse, with q
good faculty, and with daily atten-
dance of from one hundred and
fifty to two hundred pupils.
This school is situated in beautiful
little town, where society is good.
health good, board cheap-the very
place for people of small means to
acquire good education"
WISE COUNTY MINERALS AT THE NEW
ORLEANS EXPOSITION.
The following specimens were collect
ed by Gen. John D. Imboden:
!. Coking Coal, block Is cubes
from "Gibbs" opening in the "Im-
bodenr bed, 8 thick on Preacher Fork
of Callaghan creek. on lands $4,000
acres) Of the Virginia Coal and Iron
Company.
q. Coke, made from above coal.
=. 8. Spliat Coal, from Shelving
rock bed. Al thick. from southeast
face of Black mountain, from the
property of the Virginia Coal and
Iron company.
4. Splint Coal, long block, from
same bed so No. 3, tie property Of